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Todd Cochran

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Todd Cochran
Background information
Born (1951-09-03) 3 September 1951 (age 73)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • bandleader
  • composer
  • producer
Instruments
  • Piano
  • keyboards
Years active1969 - present
Labels
  • Fantasy-Prestige
  • Island
  • BMG
  • Atlantic
  • Sony
  • CBS
  • Omnivore
  • Sunnyside
Websitewww.toddcochran.com

Todd Cochran (born September 3, 1951) is an American pianist, composer, keyboardist, essayist, and conceptual artist. Early in his career he was also professionally known as Bayeté. Cochran started his career as a teenager with saxophonist John Handy.[1] Two years later he joined vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson’s[2] Quartet, and made his jazz recording debut composing and performing on a benchmark album for Hutcherson, "Head On[2]" (on Blue Note Records) that featured a nineteen-piece ensemble. The recording was critically hailed as cross-pollinating the evolving contemporary modal jazz, avant-garde sound of the 1970s. Cochran’s first solo project "Worlds Around the Sun"[2] became a #1 jazz album and marked his entree into the jazz discussion. From the mid-1970s forward Todd has experimented with and incorporated synthesizers, electronic and mixed-media concepts in his creative projects while collaborating with a wide range of artists in the genres of jazz, art rock, pop, R&B, and twenty-first-century classical.

Cochran's best-known jazz compositions[3] include "At The Source" (Bobby Hutcherson), "Free Angela" (Bayeté Todd Cochran, Santana), "Eternal Worlds" Julian Priester, "My Pearl", "Geni-Geni" (Automatic Man), "Monte Carlo Nights" Grover Washington Jr., "Spanish Rose", "Back To Lovin' Again" (Freddie Hubbard), and "Secret Places" (Todd Cochran).

He released two albums on Prestige Records in 1972 and 1973.[3] He was keyboardist and lead singer of Automatic Man from 1976 - 1978. He was also a member of Fuse One, a coalition of jazz musicians who released two albums on CTI Records in 1980 and 1981.[2]

Youth

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Pianist and composer Todd Cochran was born in San Francisco[1] and raised in a home environment of classical music and jazz, and an atmosphere of deep love for the arts. While his parents had professional livelihoods – his father, in the automobile industry, and his mother, an accountant – both were trained musicians. His father was a singer and pianist, and his mother was a violinist. As a child, there never was a time when music or conversations about art or culture were not occurring in the household. Gaining a natural sense of the importance of the arts came with this childhood exposure. Along with the early passion Todd exhibited for the piano he benefitted from his family's devoted love of attending live music and art performances that extended across the spectrum: chamber music, jazz, dance, plays, and religious concerts. With his father he enjoyed going to sports, however listening to recordings, watching documentary films, and reading were at the heart of his youth and teenage years.

Todd grew up in the Lakeview district of San Francisco, a largely Black but racially mixed neighborhood and community. Influential throughout Todd’s childhood was his maternal grandmother, an ordained minister, evangelist, and protofeminist. San Francisco during the 60s and 70s was a vital center of the cultural revolution. The energy of the civil rights movement was inescapable. Within the agitation and protest was a profound sense of hope; that equal justice, change, and social transformation could happen. Todd’s musical training began with private study at age 5, and by age 9 he was enrolled in the Trinity College of Music, London[4] (TCL) diploma program. Hence his fundamental orientation to the piano and performing arts was classical music and theory. At around age 14 he was exposed to jazz. He was transfixed by the music and the notion of playing it captivated his imagination. As an aspiring young musician, playing jazz – learning its story, and becoming knowledgeable about the inflections of the blues experience was his rite de passage. “I was hearing the music, reading the poetry, absorbing the songs and words that were being written, seeing the images, experiencing changing attitudes, understanding the narratives; my heart and thoughts were inspired by the passion of the messages and the possibilities. I knew without any doubt I had to become a part of that zeitgeist.” To that end, making art that creatively mirrored the vitality and passions of the socio-cultural moment set the path of his musical career. By his mid-teens, Todd had become consumed by music. While continuing to study classical music and theory, learning to play jazz and the communal experience of making creative music and improvisation captivated him.  

Early years

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Cochran's musical development was impacted by the cultural, political, and community atmosphere of the civil rights movement. Shifting attitudes made for a mélange of possibilities and directions to pursue. At 17, during the highpoint of psychedelic San Francisco, Cochran's joining saxophonist John Handy's band solidified his commitment to jazz.

Soon thereafter he began his mentor relationship and friendship with New Zealand jazz pianist Mike Nock – known for his work with wind multi-instrumentalist, and composer Yusef Lateef. It was after filling in at the keyboards of Nock's band The Fourth Way in a performance at Bill Graham’s Fillmore West (San Francisco) that he began to attract the attention of the jazz community. A musical connection with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson ensued. Several years of playing in Hutcherson’s quartet led to Cochran's entrée into the world of recording, with Cochran composing, arranging, and playing on Hutcherson’s album Head On. Cochran was also a member of Hutcherson’s co-led quintet with trumpeter Woody Shaw.

Cochran's work with Bobby Hutcherson led to meeting Duke Pearson (pianist, arranger, producer) who encouraged his interest in recording. From there he composed four pieces and played keyboards on the album Iapetus with saxophonist Hadley Caliman. Later came the live album Intensity with saxophonist John Klemmer.

aka Bayeté Todd Cochran

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An evolving sense of what Cochran wanted to do musically precipitated a more conscious and focused creative impulse and changing his name to “Bayeté.” (Pronounced: by-yet-tāy)

Worlds Around The Sun

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Cochran’s first solo album Worlds Around the Sun featured his composition "Free Angela" – written as an homage to Angela Davis, which was later recorded by Santana. It has been widely sampled by hip-hop artists. Cochran’s "Free Angela" along with Rolling Stone’s “Sweet Black Angel” and John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Angela[5]” is discussed in the book “Listen Whitey” by author, culture historian, and music reissue producer Pat Thomas. Worlds Around The Sun was reissued on the Omnivore label (2014). Cochran also composed the score for a documentary film about Angela Davis, Ain’t It Slick by Independent filmmaker/director Francisco Newman. A second, more experimental, and transitional solo album for Prestige, Seeking Other Beauty followed.

Also elaborating on the zeitgeist of the period was the composition "Eternal Worlds" that Cochran (aka Bayeté) wrote and was the pianist for trombonist Julian Priester’s album Love, Love (ECM).

Automatic Man and Art Rock

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Cochran’s early career in the Bay Area jazz scene was influenced by a trend of blending genres and crossing traditional boundaries. This environment led him to explore avant-garde and freeform music, marked by spontaneous improvisations. His compositions evolved into simpler structures that incorporated electric keyboards and synthetic sounds, creating pieces that explored atmospheric and conceptual themes.

Collaboration became a key part of Cochran’s approach, adapting to diverse roles across projects. His partnership with Michael Shrieve of Santana led to the formation of Automatic Man, along with guitarist, Pat Thrall and bassist. Witch was a band known for its fusion of rock and jazz elements, which developed a lasting underground following. This project, recorded in London, introduced Cochran to the progressive rock scene, where he worked with artists including Jim Capaldi (Traffic), Bill Bruford (Yes), Phil Collins’ fusion band, Brand X, and The Real Thing.

Back in Los Angeles, Cochran recorded Automatic Man’s second album, Visitors, with new members Jerome Rimson and Glenn Symmonds. He later returned to England to join Peter Gabriel’s band; touring, and additionally recording on the Robert Fripp. Cochran’s tenure in London concluded with a role in “PM,” a group formed with Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake and Palmer.[citation needed]

Filmography

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YEARS TITLE DIRECTOR STUDIO NOTES
2014 Rock N' Roll Stories Tom Waldman PBS artist spotlight (TV Series)
2011 Water For Elephants Francis Lawrence Fox 2000 Pictures actor in 'Speakeasy Jazz Band'
2008 The Lena Baker Story Ralph Wilcox American World Pictures
2008 Love and Other 4 Letter Words Steven Ayromlooi Independent
2007 Toussaint L’Ouverture – The Heartbeat of Freedom Doug McHenry Elephant Walk featuring Danny Glover and Wyclef Jean
2006 Woman Thou Art Loosed Michael Shultz Magnolia Pictures adaptation of TD Jakes bestseller
2004 Fatherhood Jamie Mitchell Nickelodeon
2002 Keep The Faith, Baby (Adam Clayton Powell story) Doug McHenry Showtime Jazz Score Adam Clayton Powell's wife: pianist Hazel Scott
2001 Return To Castle Wolfenstein Drew Markham Gray Matter/Activision million selling video game
2000 The Hurricane* Norman Jewison Universal Jazz Score Denzil Washington Academy Award Nomination
2007 Trumpet Awards 2007 Will Harper       TV One
2007 Touch The Sky National Football League Theme Fox Sports
2007 Macbeth Steve Marvel The Lillian Theatre Live theatre stage production
1999 The Best Man* Malcolm Lee Universal
1999 The Marciano Story* Charles Winkler Showtime
1998 40 Year History Of The Monterey Jazz Festival Will Harper Malpaso Pictures Producer: Clint Eastwood
1997 Sprung* Rusty Cundieff TriMark
1996 Waynehead Grant Moran Warner Bros. TV Series
1995 Arts Illustrated Various PBS Theme song
1991 Five Heartbeats* Robert Townsend 20th Century Fox
1989 Cat Chaser* Abel Ferrara Vestron Pictures Jazz Score by Chick Corea, additional music Todd Cochran
1973 The Spook Who Sat Behind The Door* (1) Ivan Dixon United Artists Jazz Score by Herbie Hancock, keyboards Todd Cochran
1973 Ain't Nobody Slick (Angela Davis Documentary) Francisco Newman Independent Angela Davis

*Additional Music/Arranging/Performing

(1) "The Spook Who Sat Behind The Door" in 2012 named to the National Film Registry as a work of enduring importance to American culture. Sept. 18, 2020 New York Film Festival

Discography (selected)

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As solo artist

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  • 1972: Worlds Around the Sun (Prestige) 2014: Reissue (Omnivore)
  • 1973: Seeking Other Beauty (Prestige)
  • 1991: TODD[6] (Vital)
  • 1997: Secret Places (Sony BMG)
  • 1998: Melrose Place Soundtrack, She Is Gentle Rain (Sony BMG)
  • 1999: A Voice In The Forest, Colour Naturelle (Natural Color) (Sony BMG)

As collaborator

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References

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  1. ^ a b Cochran, Todd. "Todd Cochran - About".
  2. ^ a b c d "Fuse One | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  3. ^ a b Allmusic
  4. ^ "Trinity College London".
  5. ^ Songfacts. "Angela by John Lennon - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  6. ^ "Todd Cochran - Todd". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-02-13.

Additional References

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Peter Gabriel by Armando Gallo p. 21, © Omnibus Press 1986

The Universal Tone - Bringing My Story to Light by Carlos Santana with Ashley Kahn and Hal Miller p. 356 Little, Brown and Company © 2014

Listen Whitey - The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965 - 1975 by Pat Thomas p. 102 Fantagraphics Books © 2012

Meeting Vibraphone Jazz 'Head On' by Kevin Whitehead Fresh Air NPR September 9, 2008

Todd Cochran on the Oberheim Four Voice by Bob Moog, Keyboard Magazine, p. 117 December 1989

Between Sound and Space: ECM Records and Beyond Julian Priester: Love Love by Tyran Grillo July 2012

100 Greatest Jazz Albums, Bobby Hutcherson - Head On Blue Note Re-release (with added tracks): May 13, 2008

But Not Forgotten – Music by African-American composers for Clarinet & Piano, Marcus Eley (clarinet) "Soul-Bird" composed by Todd Cochran CD Review: MusicWeb-International (UK)

Apples, Oranges, and Arthur Blythe from In The Moment by Francis Davis p. 188 Oxford University Press, 1986

A Perfect Sense of Ensemble Cue Newspaper National Arts Festival Marcus Eley, Soul-Bird Grahamtown South Africa, Monday, July 6, 2009

Omnivore Spotlights Worlds Around The Sun Re-issue The Second Disc theseconddisc.com January 15, 2014

Bayeté Todd Cochran Worlds Around The Sun Review by Brian Greene It's Psychedelic Baby! Magazine, January 29, 2014

Bayeté Todd Cochran Worlds Around The Sun Review by Steve Maxwell Von Braund, The Boomerang Wire www.thewire.co.uk March 2014

Creative Music and other forms of Avant Garde- Jazz Weekly March 17, 2014

Jazz Greats Jaco Pastorius And Bayeté Revisit Their Best Albums JP'S Music Blog Record-Journal April 1, 2014

JazzWax by Marc Myers Marc Myerswrites daily on jazz legends and legendary jazz recordings Bayeté—Worlds Around the Sun (Omnivore) April 11, 2014

JFS #177 The Bayete Todd Cochran Interview | Jake Feinberg Show June 8, 2014

Cash Box by David Bowling Worlds Around The Sun by Bayeté Todd Cochran Sunday May 25, 2014

Black Power Jazz Revisited London Evening Standard U.K. by Alastair McKay Uncut Magazine Worlds Around The Sun by Bayeté Todd Cochran July 2014

The Spy Movie That Upset the American Dream (The Spook Who Sat Behind The Door) by J. Hoberman The New York Times September 18, 2020

The Spook Who Sat Behind The Door - 2012 National Film Registry

Clarinet Works by Black Composers The Clarinet International Clarinet Association, December 2020

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